Cambodian operator eyes deployment of LTE based 4G network through acquisition
The mobile market in Cambodia is acknowledged to be overcrowded. Industry observers are looking at the probable acquisition by Digital Star Media of its smaller rival operator, Excell as some sort of market consolidation.
Digital Star is a GSM network whose trading name is Emaxx. It has been revealed that they are looking to deploy an LTE based 4G network and the acquisition of the CDMA based Excell happens to present the company a viable upgrade path.
Due diligence to have been known to be conducted by Digital Star, according to sources while the completion of final acquisition is expected to take place at the close of this month. The deal’s worth has not been disclosed though.
Digital Star is known to be looking to expand its network coverage by way of acquiring 28 of Excell’s cellphone towers.
Thai mobile networks warned of Cambodian border incursions
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia is known to have warned mobile network operators based in Thailand to bring an end to alleged border incursions in the Cambodian countryside.
According to the Ministry Secretary of State, Sarak Khan, a number of unnamed Thai mobile network operators are accused of setting up towers without authorization, within the borders of Cambodia.
In the wake of a border dispute between the two countries, the Thailand based operators may assume to be operating within Thailand; however, there chances of Cambodia not buying their idea are high.
Metfone introduces voice mail service (Cambodia)
Metfone, which operates in Cambodia, has introduced a voice mail service for all of its customers.
Activation of the service will cost US$0.30 and the service is priced at US$0.30 per month.
Smart Mobile offers Facebook SMS service (Cambodia)
Smart Mobile, Cambodia’s mobile service provider has started offering a new Facebook SMS service.
The service enables subscribers to send and receive Facebook messages, wall posts, friend requests, and status updates via SMS.
Customers can set the preferred time for their Facebook SMS updates. Outgoing SMS messages for the service are charged at USD 0.01 per SMS while receiving messages is free.
Mfone Q1 subscribers rise by 5% (Cambodia)
Mfone’s majority owner Thaicom has stated that Mfone’s subscriber numbers increased 5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, despite fierce competition in the sector.
As per first quarter results, Mfone subscribers in the first three months of this year totalled just over 698,000, rise by 4.9 percent from the same period last year.
According to the company, its results came in the face of a difficult business environment for mobile providers in the Kingdom.
Thaicom sees Q2 loss to narrow (Thailand)
Thaicom PCL’s Chief Investment Officer Tanadit Charoenchan has stated that the company expects its loss to narrow in the second quarter from the US$5.5 million recorded in the January-March period.
According to Charoenchan, they still won’t be able to see a profit in the second quarter, but the size of loss will be substantially lower, possibly only half of the first quarter loss.
The company posted a loss in the first quarter because of low usage of its iPSTAR broadband satellite and the weak performance of its mobile phone unit in Cambodia, where competition is fierce.
He stated that however, earnings improvement is expected in the following quarters on the back of greater utilization of its iPSTAR broadband satellite. The company should swing to a profit in the third quarter and remain in the black in the final quarter.
He reiterated that the company will likely achieve its 30% revenue growth and return to profit this year after posting a loss of US$26.05 million last year. Thaicom expects to almost double iPSTAR’s utilization rate to 30% by end-2011 from 15.9% at end-March.
The company is 41.1% owned by Shin Corp. PCL, controlled by units of Singapore’s state-owned investment company Temasek Holdings Pte.
He added that earlier this month, the company secured a A$100 million five-year deal with NBN Co. to provide broadband services via iPSTAR to rural and remote areas in Australia. Including the NBN deal, iPSTAR’s utilization rate will rise to 19.28%.
The company is expected to start realizing revenue from the NBN project from the third quarter onwards.
Thaicom expects to conclude a satellite deal with a major Malaysian telecom operator soon.
Thaicom is currently negotiating with satellite manufacturers for the potential launch of a new conventional satellite, to be used mainly for broadcasting, at an estimated cost of around $150 million to $200 million. The company needs approval from the Thai government before it can conclude any deal.
Mobitel submits documents for licence to operate Cellcard Cash service (Cambodia)
Mobitel has submitted the documents required for a licence to operate its Cellcard Cash service.
According to NBC director general Nguon Sokha, approval from the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) for the mobile money service is expected shortly.
Mobitel launched its Cellcard Cash money transfer scheme last September without applying for oversight or linking with a bank for payment processing, as stipulated in an NBC edict.
The NBC stated that Mobitel now complies with all requirements and the licence application process is not expected to take long. Mobitel will be partnering with Union Commercial Bank to provide the service.
Mobitel had received an undisclosed amount of funding for Cellcard Cash from the Mobile Money for the unbanked programme, which had been funded largely from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. That funding was frozen due to the oversight issues.
Comviva bags 92 deployments of mobile recharge systems (India)
Comviva has secured 92 deployments of mobile money and recharge systems globally.
Comviva’s mobile financial services product mobiquity is now present in 38 countries and has enabled over 230 million end customers to access from card-free and cash-free financial services via their mobile phones.
An Asian operator is performing over 410,000 utility bill payment transactions monthly on the mobiquity platform.
On deploying the PreTUPS electronic recharge system, a South Asian operator penetrated the low-income market segment by offering previously unavailable low denomination top-ups. Across Africa, PreTUPS enables recharge for 100 million mobile subscribers in nineteen markets.
In India, a major operator, with over 100 million subscribers, is providing mobile payment and ticketing services using the mobiquity platform. In Bangladesh, an operator pioneered international remittance services between major migrant-worker markets using mobiquity.
In Cambodia, a regional bank provides a suite of financial services, including salary payments, remittance services and bill payments.
Smart Mobile introduces top-up promotion (Cambodia)
Smart Mobile has introduced a top-up promotion. Customers recharging their account before 12 May will get bonus credit of 500 percent.
The credit can be used for on-net calls and messages as well as GPRS services.
Telkom completes due diligence for CamGSM (Indonesia)
Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) has completed the due diligence process for Cambodian mobile operator CamGSM.
Telkom has been in talks to acquire a majority stake in CamGSM from the Royal Group.
According to Telkom communications director Eddy Kurnia, Telkom is hoping to buy a stake of at least 51 percent. Reportedly, France Telecom is also interested in buying a stake in CamGSM.
